National Defence Committee on Feb. 7th, 2024

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

I see Mrs. Lalonde.

[Marie-France Lalonde, Liberal, Orléans, ON]

This will be very quick, Mr. Chair.

We're all talking about ammunition. Certainly, I'm no expert. At one point, it would be nice to note—maybe it's just a point of order—that this ammunition we're referring to and these rocket motors are actually solid fuel rockets. When we think about experts, maybe that's something we want to talk about here in this committee at one point, either this session or next session. We can talk about the ammunition, what works, the type of equipment that's needed and the transportation safety.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

That may or may not be a good idea. I have no opinion on it. If you wish to put it forward as a motion to have experts called on these kinds of munitions, or any kinds of munitions, it can move forward in a similar sort of vein that all of our motions move forward here.

Is there anything else?

Mr. Bezan.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

We have some time left, do we not? We're here until seven o'clock.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Yes.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

I just want to bring back for debate the motion that was adjourned on Monday, January 29.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Remind me of the motion.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

I'll read it again. It states:

That, given the testimony from witnesses at the Nova Scotia Legislature’s Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs, which repudiated denials from the Department of National Defence regarding military homelessness, and that given that there is widespread and incontrovertible evidence that after eight years of Justin Trudeau as Prime Minister our military members can’t afford food or housing, the committee invites: the Minister of Housing; the Executive Director of the Royal Canadian Legion Nova Scotia/Nunavut Command; the Director of Emergency Management for the Halifax Regional Municipality; and the Executive Director of the Halifax & Region Military Family Resource Centre to answer questions on the military housing crisis.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

That's a dilatory motion.

(Motion negatived: nays 6; yeas 5)

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Do we have anything else?

Have we emptied the cupboard on motions? I'm sure we can dream up a few more.

We'll look forward to seeing you at the concurrence debate when this meeting is adjourned.

We had Monday set up. I think that's how we'll proceed, unless I get guidance otherwise. I think I'll stay with what we have for Monday, and then we'll see how we can make up this meeting that we had today.

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB]

I'm sorry. Can you say that again?

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

We have witnesses set up for Monday on the study that was supposed to happen today.

[Marie-France Lalonde, Liberal, Orléans, ON]

Before we adjourn, can I read for the record a motion that I brought forward, please? I am within my 48 hours.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

All right.

I haven't adjourned yet. You're lucky.

[Marie-France Lalonde, Liberal, Orléans, ON]

I know. You did not. I'm listening.

Mr. Chair, I would like to move the motion for which I gave notice on January 31:

That the committee add two additional hours of study to the “Lack of Housing Availability on or Near Bases for Canadian Armed Forces Members and Their Families and the Challenges Facing Members and Their Families When They Are Required to Move Across the Country” study to allow for the invitation of additional witnesses to provide testimony and answer questions.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Is there any conversation or debate about that?

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

I just have to pull up the motions.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Is the motion in front of everybody? Do we all know what it's about? Okay.

I see Mr. Bezan is the first speaker.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

Mrs. Lalonde, do you want to talk about it more?

[Marie-France Lalonde, Liberal, Orléans, ON]

No.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

I think that, instead of “two additional hours”, we need more meetings and we need to name some of the witnesses we want to hear from.

I would amend the motion as follows: “that the committee add two additional meetings to study the lack of housing availability”. At the end, after “answer questions”, I would add, “including the Minister of Housing and the Minister of National Defence.”

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Doesn't the motion suggest witnesses?

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

It's only two hours. I think each minister will be one meeting, so you're going to need two meetings.

Plus, there are other witnesses we talked about who appeared at the Nova Scotia Legislature, as reported in the Halifax Chronicle. We need to hear from them.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Okay. Does everybody have it?

I see Mrs. Lalonde.

[Marie-France Lalonde, Liberal, Orléans, ON]

I think it's more of a clarification, if I may.

I know we were studying and are continuing to study Mr. Bezan's housing motion. What I'm asking is to reflect on adding.... I want to understand how many of the original motions were agreed upon, in terms of our original study. Where are we with our witness list? I think there is ample opportunity for all of us to send in witnesses. Do we still have space on the current motion to add some of those witnesses? That would eliminate the extra hours Mr. Bezan is asking for.